Wrapped article and method



- Nov. 28, 1933. w TALBOT, 1,937,468

WRAPPED ARTICLE AND METHOD Filed July 12, 1932 //Vl/EN TOR Patented Nov. 28, 1933 1,937,468 WRAPPED ARTICLE AND METHOD William F. Talbot, Auburndale; Mass, assignor to Samson Cordage Works, Boston, Mass., a corporation of Massachusetts 'Application July 12, 1932. Serial No. 622,139

5 Claims.

to shrinking on and about the article. The ma-- i terial is moistened or saturated with an aqueous liquid (preferably including a water-soluble plasticizer or softener), wrapped about the article and overlapped, preferably, under tension, so that by means of its adherent nature, or a separateely applied adhesive, the material upon drying, with consequent shrinking, closely constricts the arti-' cle and tightens the wrapper about the package so that the tensioned wrapper better serves to support and maintain the form of the package. The plasticizer or softener serves to toughen and strengthen the cellulose material and render it less brittle and hence less subject to fracture. For this purpose I preferably employ a solution of 5 to of glycerine, by volume, and the bal- 25 ance water, though various materials other than glycerine will give the required physical effect of softening the cellulose, for example watersoluble high-boiling organic liquids, or polyhydric alcohols. Water-soluble synthetic resins will also answer the purpose,v Though the plasticizer may be incorporated in the cellulose. material at the time of the manufacture thereof, for reasons of control it is believed preferable to include at least some of the plasticizer in the moistening liquid. The degree of moistening (saturation or substantial saturation) and subsequent shrinkage of the wrapper may be accomplished without injury to the same and is such that any normal atmospheric condition to which the package may be subsequently exposed, does not appreciably affect the wrap. The wrapper upon drying and shrinking constricts or compresses and snugly encloses the article and tends to keep said article in form and shape, thus materially contributing to the structural strength and stability of the article and package. This is particularly advantageous in the case of wrapping balls or hanks of string, twine, cord, embroidery silk, fish line or the like, and also for wrapping various small fabric or other soft or pliable articles or notions. As before mentioned, however, the invention finds use in the wrapping of other articles,-solid, firm or otherwise, including cardboard containers or the like.

In the drawing.-

Figs. 1 and 2 illustrate steps in the making of a typical package of the kind herein described;

Fig. 3 illustrates the completed package made as shown in Figs. 1 and 2;

Figs. 4 and 5 illustrate an alternative proced- B0 ure, Figure 4 showing the application of a single tubular shaped wrapper, and Figure 5 the package as completed; and

Fig. 6 shows two cup-shaped wrapper elements, positioned ready to be applied to form the package and Fig. 7 the finished package with the cupshaped elements telescopically connected.

Referring to Figs. 1-3 of the drawing, in which like numerals represent like parts,-there are illustrated the steps in wrapping with a sheet of previously moistened regenerated cellulose material, a ball of string 2 which in Figure 3 is shown surrounded and constricted by the regenerated cellulose wrapper 4, the inner end of the string being shown at 6 extending from the package. The wrapper 4, in this instance, is made from a single flat sheet of said cellulose material. The moistened wrapperis overlapped'at 8 with the adjacent overlapping surfaces of the material attached together, preferably by the adhesive character of the moistened material 4, though a separately applied adhesive may be employed. The ends of the wrapper 4 are then gathered and folded inwardly so as to form, when flattened down, a series of pleats 10, which are similarly attached together. It will be noted that the ball of string 2 in this instance, has no encircling turns of the string about the mid-section such as balls of string quite commonly have in order to support and retain the ball in form. Due to the constriction and firm support by the wrapper in this improved package, no such additional turns are required, for the cellulose once wet, stretched about the ball and shrunk thereon by drying, serves to support and retain the form of the ball and thus provide stability. In addition to its sustaining of the general form of the ball of string, the wrapper adheres to the string because of the adhesive character of the moistenedv cellulose material, or because of the sizing usually present in the string, or both. Thus, by means of the constriction and/or this adhesive attachmenmthe tensioned wrapper serves to sustain the outer layer of string in position thereagainst, even though all of the inner layers be withdrawn from the ball.

Referring to Figs. 4 and 5, Fig. 4 illustrates the application of a moistened tubular wrapper 12 to a ball of string, and Fig. 5 illustrates the finished package having tucked in at the ends no I joined at 18 and, upon their adhesive attachment as above described, and upon shrinking closely fit, constrict, and sustain the ball as do the wrapper heretofore described. In this case the end of the cord is led through. a hole 20 as shown. If desired, a single sufliciently long cup shaped wrapper may be applied to a ball of string with the one, open end tucked in, in the same manner as illustrated in Fig. 3 or Fig. 5.

The regenerated cellulose material, in a dry condition, may also be placed about the article in the manner above described and then the aqueous liquid may be applied thereto, for example by spraying or immersion. 0r the article to be wrapped may be moistened and the dry cellulose material then applied thereto in a similar manner. 1

Though the drawing and the above description are directed principally to my invention with respect to a ball of string, it will be evident that its field of usefulness is not limited thereto, and the invention is of advantage in the wrapping and marketing of various articles so long as the article is not injuriously affected by the moisture of the wrapper as applied.-

Having described my invention, what I wish to claim and secure by Letters Patent is:

1. As a new article of manufacture, an article of semi-rigid form, capable of absorbing moisture, having closed, formed and wrapped thereabout and adhering thereto a constricting tensioned wrapper of regenerated cellulose, the adhe'ring of said wrapper being due to a moistening of same, whereby the form of said article is maintained when a part of the article has been removed.

2. As a new article of manufacture, an article of semi-rigid form, capable of absorbing moisture, having closely formed and wrapped therememes about, and in contact with the entire external surface thereof, a constricting adhering wrapper of regenerated cellulose, the adhering of said wrapper being due to the moistening of the same,

whereby the form of said article is maintained when a part of the article has been removed.

3. A method of wrapping an article of semirigid form, capable of absorbing moisture, which comprises placing a moistened, adhesive, regenerated cellulose wrapper in limp condition closely thereabout and overlapping the edges of said wrapper, then folding in the opposite ends oi the wrapper, whereby said wrapper upon shrinking tightly encloses, adheres to and tends to maintain the form of said article, when a part of said article has been removed.

t. A method of wrapping an article of semirigid form, capable of absorbing moisture, in a regenerated cellulose wrapper which comprises moistening a piece of sheet regenerated cellulose material with an aqueous liquid including a plasticizer, placing said material in limp, adhe= sive condition closely thereabout and overlapping the edges of said material, then folding in the opposite ends thereof, subjecting said article thus wrapped to a drying atmosphere where'- by said material upon shrinking, tightly encloses,

'adheres to, and tends to maintain the form of said article when 'a part of said article has been I removed.

5. A method of wrapping an article, capable of absorbing moisture, in a wrapper of regenerated cellulose moistened with an aqueous liquid containing a plasticizer, placinga sheet of said regenerated cellulose material closely about said article, overlapping the edges of said material and folding in the opposite ends thereof, and then subjecting the article thus wrapped in said inaterial to a drying atmosphere, whereby said material upon shrinking tightly encloses and adheres to said article, and maintains the form of the article when part of same has been removed. 

